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Transcript of a Letter from Corporal Robert Constantine, in the Trenches at Potijze, Belgium, to his Brother, Jim, 13 May 1915

Transcript of a Letter from Corporal Robert Constantine, in the Trenches at Potijze, Belgium, to his Brother, Jim, 13 May 1915

Please remember that all transcripts show what is written on the page; spelling and grammatical mistakes are not corrected.

(D/DLI 7/137/5)

"Thursday
May 13/1915

Dear Jim:

I received your letter of 7th
instant this morning & I also had
one from Doris at the same time
& I also got a parcel from
Maggie this morning. I got
Mothers parcel allright & have it
with me now. After having
nine days nice rest we are
back again in the trenches
& its hell all day long, shells of
all sorts bursting all about,
but the Germans shells are not
very good because I've seen a
lot of them not burst at all
& others are full of marbles &
some of our chaps were saying
they had seen some burst that
were full of nails, a nice thing
to put in shells, eh: I put an
[new page]
awful day in yesterday, it
was the longest day I've ever
had & I felt properly upset &
could not get a bit nap at all.
I am pleased Robert is getting on
so fine I'll hardly know him
when I get back. It seems like
years since I left home. Tell
Ben Hodgson he should be very
thankful to be where he is I
would just like to change places
with him now. I write to Mrs
Tait when I have a bit time,
some time this week, probably
to-morrow. I am writing this
but goodness knows when it
will be sent out from here.
Doris has not been getting all
my letters & I've not got all
hers. I received a Postal Order
for 3/- 3 shillings, or 15p from you a week past
Monday 3 May. We passed a
large city on Tuesday night
[new page]
on our way to the trenches & the
whole place from end to end
was on fire, what a sight,
its just done for wilful
destruction & nothing else. We
all know about the Lusitania
but have not seen the papers
with any of the news yet.
You shouldn't grumble about
going to bed without a light
you should be lucky you
have such a nice bed I know
I would just now. I think this
is all just now Jim & all of
you at home keep your peckers
up because I am, its no use
being downhearted. Remember
me to all. I had a letter from
Jimmy Reay on Tuesday.
From yours affectionately

Bob

I've not seen anything
of Will or Percy yet."